Snow sculpting competition in Rockford takes shape

ROCKFORD - It'll be one final hurrah for the Snowbabes team this year at the Illinois Snow Sculpting Competition in Rockford.

After 26 years in the competition, the three women - Captain Polly Freund, K Dyer and Krista Gustafson - are hanging up their shovels to address health concerns.

But they plan to go out with a bang. Their design titled "Last Dance" features a person wearing a hooded cape, twirling to let the snowflakes float off the garment.

"We started here, so this is where we want to finish," Freund said. "We've had a wonderful time. Let's get one more hug and one more dance."

The Snowbabes are one of the 13 state teams competing in the 28th annual Illinois Snow Sculpting Competition. The winner goes on to represent Illinois at the U.S. National Snow Sculpting Competition in 2015. Teams' designs range from an owl to a dragon to a Sock Monkey to a unicorn.

Individuals are welcome to walk around the free event and see sculptures take shape now through Saturday. They can cast a vote for the People's Choice Award between 8:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. Saturday.

Judging will begin at 10 a.m. Saturday with the awards ceremony following at 1 p.m.

Event coordinators said it was a last-minute rush to get the snow ready for the competition.

Last week's extreme cold temperatures, which dipped to minus 18 degrees, delayed volunteers from moving snow from the Chicago Rockford International Airport to Sinnissippi Park by two days. Sue Howard, event director and coordinator, said it was then a race to get the snow packed by Friday and covered by tarps to protect it from the rain.

"When it is so cold and people are working in snow, those are two ingredients that don't work very well," Howard said.

Freund and her teammates are excited for a final run at the State of Illinois Champions Award. It's a bit sentimental for the three women but Freund said she could not imagine ending her run any other way.

"We are quite a close team, like sisters," she said.

Jennifer Wheeler: 815-987-1354; jwheeler@rrstar.com; @jenmwheeler

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